Parenting Perspective 

When adults are visibly anxious, children absorb the atmosphere before they understand the details. They scan your face, tone, and pace to decide whether the world is safe. Reassurance begins with co-regulation; you steady yourself so they can borrow your calm. This is not about pretending everything is fine. It is about modelling steady breathing, slower speech, and clear steps. Children feel safer when there is a simple plan, warm eye contact, and a predictable next action. 

Name, Normalise, and Narrow the Focus 

Put feelings into words so they do not become monsters in the dark. Try saying, ‘Everyone is a bit worried right now. That is a normal feeling. Here is what we are going to do next.’ Keep explanations short, concrete, and age-appropriate. Offer one choice where possible, such as which book to bring or where to sit. Choice restores a sense of agency, which lowers anxiety. 

Co-regulate Using the Body First 

Before talking, help the body settle. Sit beside your child, match their breathing for three slow cycles, and then lengthen the exhale. Keep your voice soft and unhurried. A warm drink, a gentle hand on the shoulder, or guiding them through the ‘five things I can see’ exercise can ground the nervous system. Children copy physiology faster than they absorb logic. 

Create a Small Circle of Control 

State two things you are doing now and one thing you will check on later. For example, ‘Right now we will finish dinner and call Nani afterwards. Tomorrow I will read the message from school carefully.’ This separates the immediate from the uncertain and teaches problem-solving without catastrophising. Limit exposure to the news, as children need rhythm more than they need updates. 

Maintain Visible Anchors 

Hold onto the day’s anchors even when plans shift: Salah together, a short du’a after, the bedtime routine, or a story on the same sofa. Familiar anchors send the message that while life may be changing, your core is steady. Ask for their help with a small task so they feel useful, not helpless. 

Spiritual Insight 

Anxiety shrinks our horizons, but faith widens them again. Teach your child that while feelings rise and fall, Allah Almighty is near, attentive, and in control. Our role is to take wise steps, seek help, and place the outcome with Him. 

From the Noble Quran 

Allah Almighty states in the noble Quran at Surah Al Ra’ad (13), Verse 28: 

‘Those people who are believers, and attain serenity of their hearts with the remembrance of Allah (Almighty); indeed, it is only with the remembrance of Allah (Almighty) that one can (and does) find peace of mind and heart.’ 

Make this practical. After naming the worry, pause for quiet dhikr together. Repeat a short phrase slowly, such as ‘Subhan Allah’, while breathing out. Link each daily anchor to remembrance, including Salah times, meal gratitude, and the bedtime du’a. Over time, your child learns that calm is not found in perfect circumstances but in turning to Allah Almighty with trust and consistency. 

From the Hadith Shareef 

It is recorded in Sahih Muslim, Hadith 2664, that the holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: 

‘A strong believer is better and is more lovable to Allah than a weak believer, and there is good in everyone, (but) cherish that which gives you benefit and seek help from Allah and do not lose heart, and if anything comes to you, do not say: If I had not done that… but say: Allah did that what He had ordained to do…’ 

Use this to coach a family script: ‘We will do the next right thing. We will ask Allah for help. We will not get stuck in ‘if only’.’ Invite your child to choose one helpful action, make a short du’a with you, and then place matters with Allah Almighty. This approach turns fear into purposeful effort and reliance. 

Reassurance is not the promise that nothing bad will happen. It is the lived experience that, whatever happens, we have a way to breathe, act with goodness, and lean on Allah Almighty. When your child sees you practise this rhythm, their heart learns that safety is not the absence of storms, but the presence of guidance, courage, and trust.